Macdonald, Andrew

Machado, Silvania

Magdalene, Mary

Magic

The ability, real or imagined, to cause changes to result in conformity with one's will or desires by invoking or utilizing mysterious and/or invisible forces, and thereby influencing, controlling, or manipulating reality for one's own purposes. Magic is synonymous with sorcery, and, as used here, is to be distinguished from mere sleight-of-hand. In some occultic circles, it is frequently spelled "magick" to distinguish it from sleight-of-hand.

Magic: The Gathering

Magick

Definitions vary but include: the science of control of the secret forces of nature and the comprehensive knowledge of all nature. Books of magick contain spells and rituals. Wiccans spell it with a "k" to distinguish it from "magic," which they refer to as sleight of hand used by entertainers.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Mahayana

A liberal and theistic branch of Buddhism comprising sects chiefly in Tibet, China, and Japan, recognizing a large body of scripture in addition to the Pali canon, and teaching social concern and universal salvation.

Manifestations

"Manifest Sons of God"

In July 1989, over 3,000 evangelicals met for Lausanne II, the Second International Congress on World Evangelization, held in Manila, The Philippines. Like Lausanne I, this conference was sponsored under the auspices of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization. One of the documents to come out of Lausanne II was "The Manila Manifesto," which should be viewed as an extension of the aims and purposes of the Lausanne Covenant. The Manila Manifesto consists of two parts: a shorter portion of 21 succinct affirmations, and a larger body of elaboration and exposition. In this appendix, we are printing only the shorter section of affirmations. Part 2 of the Manila Manifesto, with its expository text, is commended for further examination in the book, "The Manila Manifesto" (1989), published by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization (2531 Nina St., Pasadena, CA 91107).

Mansfield, Hal

Mantra

Mantras are sacred utterances thought to mystically represent the essense of religious literature or the dieties they invoke, thus conveying supernatural knowledge and/or power. They are used in religious worship, ritual, and meditation.

Mariology

Marrs, Texe

Self-styled apologist known for his sensationalistic, speculative claims. Disseminates conspiracy theories, hype, and other unbalanced information. Taken seriously only be those on the fringe...

David Icke, a former British television sportscaster turned prophet of doom, and Texe Marrs, a retired U.S. Air Force officer turned pastor, have issued Web site warnings that, come millennium eve, former President George Bush and fellow members of a cult known as the Illuminati will summon oppressive evil forces at a black mass in a burial chamber deep inside the great Cheops pyramid.

Publications
Flashpoint (newsletter) - its articles range from the ludicrous to the bizarre.

Books include "Big Sister is Watching You" (Hillary Clinton and the White House Feminists Who Now Control America), "Circle of Intrique" (The Hidden Inner Circle of the Global Illuminati Conspiracy), and "Project L.U.C.I.D.," (The Beast 666 Universal Human Control System).

Since Walter Martin's Religious InfoNet first began two years ago, many people have written to ask our position on CRI and Hank Hanegraaff. In late 1997, Darlene Martin asked us to investigate allegations against Hank that were brought to her attention by close friends and other concerned Christians. After an intensive two year investigation into the situation at CRI, we are now able to publicly address this issue.

Martinelli

Martinez, Peter

Associated with The Prophecy Club. Calls himself an apostle. Claims that "the Lord" told Stan Johnson and himself to start churches in the 42 cities where The Prophecy Club has meetings. "Each city will get only one church, called 'The Church of Ephesus', or 'The Church of Philadelphia', 'The Church of Dallas', 'The Church of Modesto' and so on." This 'city-church' concept is similar to that being promoted by a number of other aberrant and cultic movements.

Martyr

To torture or put to death someone for adhering to his or her faith. The Greek word "martyria" means "witness"

McNutt, Francis

McVeigh, Timothy

"Meadow Haven is a residential facility created by the New England Institute for Religious Research to meet this critical need. Set in a quiet, rural setting, Meadow Haven exists to help people through the radical and many times traumatic life- changes that can accompany the departure of a high-control group. The full-time staff and support groups are well-equipped to assist guests as they work through the practical, psychological and spiritual issues that arise from leaving such groups."

Medicine, Alternativ

Medjugorje

Melton, J. Gordon

This Methodist minister (ordained elder in the United Methodist Church) is seen by many Christian and secular apologists and counter-cult professionals as a cult apologist. Though he professes to be an Evangelical Christian, many Evangelicals do not consider his views on cults and other religions as representative.

Menegotto, A.

Mentuhui

Meridians

Channels or pathways through which qi energy is said to flow, and along the course of which acupuncture points are located. There are 12 principal meridians, linked to the internal organs, which are paired (right and left sides) and name after the organs with which they are associated. There are also 8 'extra'meridians which are not directly linked to organs; these do not have acupuncture points in their own right, but are routed between points on the principle meridians.

Messianic Communities, The

Note: "Messianic Communities" has no affiliation, in theology or practice, with the Messianic Jewish Movement. The former is a cult. The latter is a movement of Jews who have accepted Jesus Christ as Messiah, Savior and Lord.

Messianic Jews

Sites

Jews For Jesus (Pro)Outreach Judaism"Outreach Judaism is an international organization that responds directly to the issues raised by missionaries and cults, by exploring Judaism in contradistinction to fundamentalist Christianity."

Metaphysics

Traditional meaning: the branch of philosophy that attempts to understand the fundamental nature of all reality, visible or invisible.

In the philosophical (not occultic) sense, metaphysics pertains to questions of ultimate reality -- in both the sensible and insensible realms. Such questions include: What actually exists? What is its nature or essence? What is its origin?

Metzger, Tom

Meyer, Joyce

Christian apologetics and counter-cult ministry. Publishes the bi-monthly Midwest Christian Outreach Journal (excellent articles!, and supports a telephone ministry that consists of both recorded messages and a live line. These phone lines are focused at Jehovah's Witnesses, ex-Witnesses and Mormons.

Millennialism

Millennium

Technically, the next millennium starts on Jan. 1st, 2001. Some movements and individuals attach spiritual and/or political significance to the end of the millennium, predicting either the return of Christ, doomsday, or a United Nations plot to rule the world (New World Order).

Doomsday cults are sometimes referred to by the media as "Millennium cults" - correctly so if the group's predictions, preparations or actions are motivated or triggered by what the group views to be a millennium-related doomsday event.

Miller, Glenn

Miller, Monte Kim

Miller believes he is the voice of God. His followers believe he is one of the two prophets of Revelation 11. Miller has predicted that he would die on the streets of Jerusalem in December 1999. Has made doomsday predictions, including that Denver, Colorado would be destroyed in an October 3, 1998 apocalypse. In preparation, Miller and his followers left Denver.

Minority Religion

A term some people prefer to use instead of "cult" or "sect" because they perceive it as more neutral. Some cult members and cult apologists use the term in an effort to justify theirs claims of "religious discrimination."

Words are not neutral. Words such as 'cults' (or 'sectes' in French or equivalent words in other European languages) are easily used as tools of hate and discrimination and should be avoided, particularly in official documents. Scholars often use 'new religious movements'. Although better than 'cults', even this language can cause misunderstandings about movements which are new only in the West while they represent a century-old-tradition in the East (such as ISKCON, popularly known as the Hare Krishna movement, or Soka Gakkai, part of the mainline tradition of Japanese Nichiren Buddhism). The most neutral term is 'religious minorities'. It avoids judgements about whether a group is acceptable, or is connected to an old tradition.

Miracles

The Christian religion not only was at first attended with miracles, but even at this day cannot be believed by any reasonable person without one. Mere reason is insufficient to convince us of its veracity: and whoever is moved by faith to assent to it, is conscious of a continued miracle in his own person, which subverts all the principles of his understanding, and gives him a determination to believe what is most contrary to custom and experience.

Missler, Chuck and Nancy

Chuck Missler is known for what could best be termed his pop-apologetics, which include anything from speculations regarding the "face on Mars" to "intelligence briefings" on current events (often giving the suggestion of benefitting from inside information not available elsewhere.)

Momentus

Controversial encounter/awareness training group, billed as "Christian" Its training exercises are said to be virtually identical to those of New Age-influenced Lifespring, of which Momentus founder Daniel Tocchini is a graduate. As with other LGATs, Momentus fosters secrecy.

I believe that this evasiveness is because the trainers, as well as most graduates of the training, even if they love Momentus, rightly know that most Christians would never take Momentus if they had any inkling of what went on in it. I know that I never would have. And that's because what goes on in it has little to nothing to do with life and godliness as unveiled in the Word of God. But it does have a lot to do with psychotherapeutic practices (from Freudian to primal scream therapy), with indoctrination techniques (similar to those used by the Red Chinese during the Korean War, as well as by cultists even today), and with New Age visualization and occultism. Ridicule, mockery, and abusive language directed against the trainees by the trainers (and eventually, as they get into the "spirit" of Momentus, the other trainees) is par for the course, as they work to shock and break down the trainees into abandoning their own belief systems and accepting those of the trainers. The methods used in the training I participated in (and in others I've been told about) are not at all godly, even if some people believe the results to be so. (God's Word doesn't justify the worldly concept of the end justifying the means.)

More!

The late John Wimber taught that when ministering to people, it is a good idea to "Bless what the Father is doing." Often he simply prayed "More, Lord! More of you!" Somehow this simple request has taken on a life of it's own, and is now used to trigger or continue manifestations.

Morehead, John

Christian apologist and cult expert. Until recently (Jan. 2003) Morehead was President of EMNR. He is still an associate director of Watchman Fellowship, a non-profit organization specializing in cults and new religious movements. He is also adjunct instructor at Capital Bible College in Sacramento, California teaching courses on cults, as well as new and world religions.

Unfortunately, in recent years John Morehead has become a vocal and active supporter of several cult apologists, claiming that evangelical Christians can learn from their allegedly 'missiological approaches.' He has invited cult apologist J. Gordon Melton and cult apologist denfenderDouglas Cowan to speak at an EMNR conference (2002).

Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD)

Often controversial psychiatric diagnosis in which a patient is considered to have more than one "personalities". Frequently, such personalities come to light in conjunction with what is referred to as False Memory Syndrome.

The syndrome may have hit its peak two years ago with a Wisconsin woman. In six years of therapy her psychiatrist convinced her she had a record 126 personalities. One of them was a duck. He was billing her insurance company for group therapy. His name was Kenneth Olson and she won a $3.6 million lawsuit against him.

Mumford, John and Eli (Eleanor)

Mungiki

Murdock, Mike (Mike Murdock)

Music - Contemporary Christian

"Songs that we now consider sacred classics were once as criticized as today's contemporary Christian music. When 'Silent Night' was first published, George Weber, music director of the Mainz Cathedral, called it 'vulgar mischief and void of all religious and Christian feelings.' And Charles Spurgeon, the great English pastor, despised the contemporary worship songs of his day--the same songs we now revere."

"Perhaps most impossible to believe, Handel's _Messiah_ was widely condemned as 'vulgar theatre' by the churchmen of his day. Like the criticism of today's contemporary choruses, the _Messiah_ was panned for having too much repetition and not enough message--it contains nearly one hundred repetitions of 'Hallelujah!'"

Rick Warren, "The Purpose Driven Church," Zondervan Publishing House.

- Articles -

Music in the Bible and Music on the Radio:
A Biblical Theology of Music Applied to the Contemporary Music Styles Debate [No longer online] Paper presented by Gregg Strawbridge, Ph.D., at the 1998 Evangelical Theological Society Meeting in Orlando, FL. Includes refutation of Bill Gothard's teachings again music. (An earlier version is available at the Internet Archive)

Well-organized, content-rich website operated by Hyde Park Christian fellowship - an informal network of Christian researchers in the United Kingdom, whose primary interest is the academic study of all issues relevant to Islam and Christianity.

Muslim American Society

In 1975 W. Deen Mohammed founded a movement that took tens of thousands of blacks from his late father Elijah Muhammad's separatist Nation of Islam into mainstream Sunni Muslim practices. It has evolved into the Muslim American Society.